Open Thread–2/20/2011

 Blog News, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 202012
 

Yesterday I rested as much as I could.  I’m current with replies.  I’m scheduled for a colonoscopy on Tuesday morning.  No worries.  It’s routine, because of my age.  Because of it, I’m likely to be gone for two days, so expect no more articles, until early Thursday morning.  This morning and early afternoon, I’ll sleep all I can.  This afternoon and tonight I’ll be taking the medications to purge me for the test.  I will not be able to sit on one place long enough to concentrate on anything, except for the place made of porcelain.  I’ll be up all night taking medicine.  During the test I’ll be under a twilight anesthetic, so I’m likely to he groggy afterwards, in addition to sleepy from being up all night.  By Wednesday I should be able to research again.  I am not looking forward to this at all.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:39 (average 4:23).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From CBS: Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum stood by comments he made Saturday opposing prenatal testing, saying it leads to selective abortions, and he said the president is "continuing" policies that encourage such abortions.

How much more invasive into privacy can these Republicans get?

From Minnesota Public Radio News: Mitt Romney returned to Salt Lake City on Saturday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 2002 Winter Games he helped lead, but the GOP presidential candidate has come under attack for urging the federal government to provide big bucks for Olympic expenses.

Republicans believe in limited government spending, but not on anything they want.

From Think Progress: During an appearance on Fox News Sunday this morning, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) couldn’t explain why the public rejects large parts of the Republican legislative agenda and instead blamed Democrats for opposing it.

 

Cantor is full of Santorum. This is why the public rejects their programs.  Republicans govern exclusively for the benefit of millionaires, billionaires and corporate criminals. They do NOT represent YOU!

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 Posted by TomCat at 12:00 am  10 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Open Thread–2/19/2012

 Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 192012
 

Yesterday was restful.  I both slept and researched more hours than normal.  I’m current with replies.  Today I will have to make a store run.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:18 (average 4:23).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: If Mitt Romney’s Dog Could Write A Song, It Might Go Like This

 

Romney is just as oblivious to the needs of people too!

From Care2: Apparently, the Supreme Court is now in the business of forcing states to break their own laws as long as it benefits corporations and the politicians they control. On Wednesday, SCOTUS blocked a Montana court ruling that upheld the state’s century-old limit on corporate campaign spending. So much for state’s rights…

The author does not understand the ruling, which only stays the Montana court ruling until that ruling can be appealed, opening the door for a full review of Citizens United.

From Common Dreams: A clear message has been given to the United States through the tripartite summit of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan that Pakistan will support Iran in case of any possible aggression against it.

Moreover, Pakistan has clearly affirmed that the US will not be allowed to set up any airbases in Pakistan with the purpose of attacking Iran. The joint declaration says: "Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan will ensure respect of territorial sovereignty of each other and would not allow any threat emanating from their respective territories against each other".

What kind of insanity is it when our client, our so-called ally, and a state we oppose form a pact against this nation?  We need to pull the plug on funding Karzai, whose only qualification ever was his willingness to be a puppet for G.W. ChickenHawk and Big Oil, and get out troops out as soon as we can.  In addition we need to pull the plug on financing Pakistan.  With friends like that, who needs enemies.

From Washington Post: Ron Paul has gained 83 votes on Mitt Romney following a Republican presidential caucus in eastern Maine, where voting last week had been postponed due to bad weather. Romney still holds a 156-vote lead over Paul in statewide totals.

Thank goodness!  If Ron Paul had actually won one, the acolytes in his cult would be even more insufferable than they already are!

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 Posted by TomCat at 12:02 am  10 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

Open Thread–2/18/2012

 Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 182012
 

Yesterday I clearly needed to rest, and except for cleaning out my email, paying bill, and the normal hours I spend in research I rested, sleeping longer than usual in the afternoon.  I’m current with replies.  Today I may have an errand to run.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:19 (average 5:08).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: The Best Quote From Barack Obama We’ve Seen This Week

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The Republican project to transfer wealth from the poor and middle classes to the 1% IS class warfare. This is another example of Republican projection.

From Washington Post: Congress passed a $150 billion economic package Friday, extending for the rest of the year a payroll tax holiday for 160 million workers and unemployment benefits for millions of others.

On a 293-132 vote, a bipartisan House coalition supported the compromise plan to keep giving workers a small amount of extra cash with each paycheck while also providing a continued cushion for the unemployed.Shortly afterward, the Senate voted 60 to 36 to approve the plan. It now goes to President Obama to be signed into law, giving him a victory on a portion of the massive jobs bill he presented to Congress last fall.

Score a big one for the good guys!

From LA Times: Pat Buchanan has been dismissed by MSNBC, the left-leaning news network, four months after the channel suspended him.

In an angry post on his blog, conservative commentator Buchanan took his critics to task, writing, "After 10 enjoyable years, I am departing, after an incessant clamor from the left that to permit me continued access to the microphones of MSNBC would be an outrage against decency, and dangerous."

Buchanan says the calls for his firing began with the publication in October of his book "Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?" about America’s decline, which critics have called racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic.

Buchanan was fired because he made racist comments on air, while plugging his white-power book on MSNBC time.  Good riddance to bad Bircher rubbish.

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 Posted by TomCat at 12:00 am  10 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Open Thread–2/17/2012

 Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 172012
 

Although I was still quite tired, yesterday was a busy one.  I had to walk to the mailbox to mail a letter in support of a prisoner, whit whom I do volunteer work, seeking parole.  From there, I walked to the drug store to get the collection of items I’ll need to prepare for next week’s test.  All in all I walked about two miles, so I’m pretty wiped out.  I’m current with replies.  Today is a rest and paperwork day.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:48 (average 4:43).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: The #1 Lie About Keystone That The GOP Is Pushing Right Now

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That estimate is generous.  Republicans are great at creating jobs, everywhere but in the US.

From Reuters: The new U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a proposal to regulate about 200 debt collectors and companies that produce credit reports as part of an effort to extend its oversight beyond the banking industry.

The agency is charged by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial oversight law with overseeing consumer financial products, such as credit cards and mortgages offered by banks, as well as some products offered outside the industry, including residential mortgages and student loans.

It also has the authority to extend its oversight to companies that are "larger participants" in consumer financial markets.

Debt collectors and credit reporting agencies are the first industries to be targeted for supervision under this power.

Since both are rife with consumer abuse, I consider this a good idea.

From Slate: Oklahoma has become the latest state to mobilize behind so-called "personhood" legislation, which would define the beginning of human life as at the moment of conception. The state Senate passed such a bill, 34-8, on Wednesday and it looks likely to sail through the House as well, the Oklahoman reports.

Virginia House legislators also passed a pair of anti-abortion bills this week, including its own personhood measure. The other bill would require women to have an ultrasound before undergoing an abortion. A version of the ultrasound legislation has already passed the state Senate and Republican Governor Bob McDonnell is expected to sign the bill into law, CBS News reports.

With Republicans, the right to life begins at conception and ends at birth.

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 Posted by TomCat at 12:00 am  6 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , ,

Open Thread–2/16/2012

 Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 162012
 

Yesterday I felt very tired and rested, except for doing my research.  I’m current with replies, albeit briefly.  Today I need to go purchase items for a witch’s to prepare for a medical procedure next week.

Jig Zone Puzzles:

Yesterday it took me 4:33 (average 5:30).  To do it click here.  Today it took me 3:56 (average 4:56).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From LA Times: A $260-billion, Republican-drafted House bill is facing opposition from the left and the right, forcing GOP leaders Wednesday to put off a final roll call while they scramble to line up the votes to pass it.

The White House on Tuesday threatened a veto, saying the measure "jeopardizes safety, weakens environmental and labor protections and fails to make the investments needed to strengthen the nation’s roads, bridges, rail and transit systems." If the bill gets to the president’s desk, the White House budget office said, his senior advisors will recommend that he veto it.

This is the monstrosity that even Ray LaHood said was the worst he had ever seen.

From Washington Post: A Connecticut human-rights commission has rebuked a mayor who made a disparaging remark about Latinos.

The state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities said Tuesday it unanimously approved a resolution condemning East Haven Mayor Joseph A. Maturo Jr. for saying last month he might have tacos as a way to do something for the community.The Republican mayor made the remark in response to a reporter’s question after the arrests of four police officers on charges they harassed Latino residents and businesses. He received criticism from all quarters, including Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.

Just another example of Republican racism.

From Huffington Post:

Lisa Chan, the actress who appeared in a political ad that was widely criticized for furthering negative stereotypes of Asian-Americans, has apologized, calling her participation "a mistake."…

…"I am deeply sorry for any pain that the character I portrayed brought to my communities," Chan wrote on her Facebook page, as first reported by the Angry Asian Man blog. "As a recent college grad who has spent time working to improve communities and empower those without a voice, this role is not in any way representative of who I am. It was absolutely a mistake on my part and one that, over time, I hope can be forgiven. I feel horrible about my participation and I am determined to resolve my actions."

I’m glad that Chan has apologized, but even though he has pulled the ad, Peter Hoekstra still refused to apologize and continues to double down on his Republican racism.

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 Posted by TomCat at 12:03 am  8 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , , ,

Open Thread–2/15/2012

 Open Thread, Personal, Religion
Feb 152012
 

Yesterday I felt so tired when I returned home from the prison that I wrote this, set it to be published right after midnight, and went to bed.  The meeting was excellent.  Three new men joined our CoDA group there.  We did some insightful digging and made excellent progress.  I cannot say more without violating confidence, except that I could not be more proud of my guys.  I am not current with replies.  Today is a day for catch-up and recovery.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

It was not out yet.  I’ll put up two tomorrow.

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: What If Everyone Saw This Message From Robert Redford?

 

Keep saying NO to Big Oil!

From Business Week: The New Jersey Senate passed a bill that would allow gay and lesbian couples to marry, in the face of Republican Governor Chris Christie’s promise to veto it.

The Senate voted 24-16 in favor of the measure, sending it to the Assembly, which plans to consider it Feb. 16. Democrats, who control both houses of the Legislature, have made gay marriage a priority for 2012, two years after they failed to pass a similar bill supported by then-Governor Jon Corzine.

When Christie vetoes it, pass it again!

From Truth Dig: The prolonged Republican primary campaign appears to be taking a toll on independent voters’ faith in Mitt Romney. According to the latest Pew poll, only a minority of independents now describe Romney as “honest and trustworthy” and slightly more than half of independent voters now favor Barack Obama in a race against Romney, who led the president in that category only a month ago.

As is pointed out every four years or so, so-called independent voters typically decide presidential elections.

It’s still way too early to depend on polls, but this is positive news, especially since Obama does even better compared to the Frothmeister.

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 Posted by TomCat at 12:01 am  15 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

Open Thread–2/14/2012

 Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 142012
 

Yesterday I spent most of the day doing prep work for today.  I’m current with replies.  Today is a volunteer day for me in prison.  I will return home late, having missed a sleep cycle, so there may be no new articles on Wednesday, and if there are, they may be late.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:13 (average 4:59).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: In Which States Can Ellen Get Fired For Being Gay?

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That’s obscene!  To correct this, we need to clean out Republicans at the state level.

From CBS: Seven members of a Midwest militia group accused of plotting to overthrow the government are in Federal Court in Detroit for the start of their trial, in which jurors will decide whether federal authorities prevented an attack by homegrown extremists or simply made too much of the boasts of weekend warriors who had pledged to "take our nation back."

Opening statements were set for Monday in the trial of the militia members, known as Hutaree, who are charged with conspiring to commit sedition, or rebellion, as well as weapon crimes.

I guess this is what Republicans mean when they call for Second Amendment solutions.

From Think Progress: In a bid to fast-track approval of the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, Senate Republicans plan to attach an amendment mandating the pipeline’s construction onto a must-pass highway funding bill. The amendment — developed by Sens. John Hoeven, Richard Lugar, and David Vitter — is but the latest congressional push to advance TransCanada’s $7 billion project, which was rejected by President Obama last month.

Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus has publicly raised objection to the measure, arguing that it will ultimately “kill the bill.”

If you have not called both of your Senators to demand this be rejected, please do.  Republicans are holding hundreds of highway jobs hostage to blackmail America.

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 Posted by TomCat at 12:00 am  13 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , , , , ,
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